How to get to Galle

There are a number of options available for your travel from Colombo to Galle, and back.

Your preferred choice depends on what you want your travel experience to be – considering the time you want to spend in transit, price you are willing to pay, comfort level you wish to travel in, and … your sense of adventure.

Car or Taxi: Hiring a private car and driver, or a taxi is the easiest, comfortable and most hassle-free way to travel to Galle.

Bus: Taking the fully air-conditioned Southern Expressway (Highway) Buses to Galle is a more economical and reasonably comfortable way to travel.

Train: For the most scenic and adventurous travel option there is the train. Less comfortable, very much longer in duration, but will make for quite the story to tell.

Tuk-Tuk: For the road-ride you will never forget, at a price that may somewhat impact your wallet, but most certainly impact your lower lumbar region.

Helicopter/Plane: Getting to Galle by air is the fastest and most expensive option, however, the bird’s-eye view of the southern coastline is unbeatable and the experience incomparable.

Car/Taxi

You can hire a private car and driver or taxi to take you to Galle from most hotels and even directly from the airport.

If you are going from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake, you can go directly to the taxi desk inside the arrivals promenade (after you clear customs) and arrange for the service quite easily before exiting the airport terminal.

The fastest route to get to Galle by road is to take the toll-levied Southern Expressway (E01).

There are 3 entry points to access the Southern Expressway:

Kadawatha

Kaduwela

Kottawa

If you are traveling to Galle directly from the airport, you can take the outer circular highway from Kadawata, which is closer to Colombo North. Your travel time will be approximately 1 hr 30 min – 1 hr 50 min in duration.

There is also the option of taking the old ‘Galle road’ down the coast to Galle, though this route will take you a minimum 3 hours of travel time.

Alt. Bus Number: You can also take the Maharagama-Matara Express Bus: EX-1-1, and get off in Galle)

Traveller Note: Getting to and from the Maharagama Bus depot to your hotel or lodging may be the most challenging part of your bus journey to Galle. A Tuk-Tuk or Taxi to the bus depot with all your luggage is recommended.

There is no air-conditioning on the train but the fans on the ceiling work and the open windows let in a breeze.

Boarding the train is highly competitive experience. Everyone tries to get on the train to grab a seat.

This is a popular route so there is overcrowding and often delays in train arrival times. You may also have to stand for the entire duration of the journey.

Luxury Train:

The Rajadhani Express is a luxury carriage attached to the state-run Sri Lanka Railways on the route to Galle.

A reserved one-way luxury first-class fare to Galle costs Rs. 1,000.

The luxury carriage service to Galle is attached to the 6:55 am Matara-bound train from Colombo.

The luxury carriage service back to Colombo is attached to the 3.30 pm Colombo-bound train from Galle.

This service DOES NOT run on Thursdays.

Passengers are offered a snack and beverage menu, power points for charging electronic equipment and decent washrooms. They are also able to arrange transport from the station to your hotel on request.

Take a ‘regular’ train ride from Colombo to Galle with travel bloggers Karen and Paul. Check out their website www.GlobalHelpSwap.com for more on their journey to Sri Lanka.

Tuk-Tuk

Testing your nerve and posterior in a Tuk-Tuk all the way from Colombo to Galle is not standard practice, but you could take a three-wheeler down the Galle Road along coastline.

It is an experience in itself, albeit costly. Tuk-tuks are not permitted on the E01 expressway so expect to shell out a minimum of Rs. 5,000 for a ride right down to Galle.

It is very convenient to hail one down off the road … but the journey is unlikely to be comfortable as much of it is bumpy.

Travel time: 3.5 hrs – 4 hrs.

Helicopter and Plane

Traveling to Galle by air is the fastest but most expensive way to get there, however, the bird’s-eye view of the southern coastline is unbeatable and the experience incomparable.

Internal flights leave from the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake but do not operate direct to Galle but to the domestic airports in Koggala and Dickewella, 15km and 65km away respectively from the Galle city center.

Your hotel should be able to arrange road transport to get you from Koggala Airport to Galle city center within a travel time of 15-20 minutes.

Return flights go directly from Koggala and Dickewella to BIA in Katunayake.